Cross-validation of a Shortened Battery for the Assessment of Dysexecutive Disorders in Alzheimer Disease

Alzheimer Dis Assoc Disord. 2016 Apr-Jun;30(2):140-4. doi: 10.1097/WAD.0000000000000112.

Abstract

The frequency of executive disorders in mild-to-moderate Alzheimer disease (AD) has been demonstrated by the application of a comprehensive battery. The present study analyzed data from 2 recent multicenter studies based on the same executive battery. The objective was to derive a shortened battery by using the GREFEX population as a training dataset and by cross-validating the results in the REFLEX population. A total of 102 AD patients of the GREFEX study (MMSE=23.2±2.9) and 72 patients of the REFLEX study (MMSE=20.8±3.5) were included. Tests were selected and receiver operating characteristic curves were generated relative to the performance of 780 controls from the GREFEX study. Stepwise logistic regression identified 3 cognitive tests (Six Elements Task, categorical fluency and Trail Making Test B error) and behavioral disorders globally referred as global hypoactivity (P=0.0001, all). This shortened battery was as accurate as the entire GREFEX battery in diagnosing dysexecutive disorders in both training group and the validation group. Bootstrap procedure confirmed the stability of AUC. A shortened battery based on 3 cognitive tests and 3 behavioral domains provides a high diagnosis accuracy of executive disorders in mild-to-moderate AD.

Publication types

  • Validation Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Cognitive Dysfunction / diagnosis*
  • Executive Function / physiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Models, Statistical
  • Neuropsychological Tests* / standards
  • Neuropsychological Tests* / statistics & numerical data
  • Reproducibility of Results